For those expecting to see a close game on Monday's Night Football between the New England Patriots and Houston Texans were sadly mistaken at game's end.

The defending AFC champion outmatched and outplayed the NFL's top team in all three phases of the game as the Patriots trounced the Texans, 42-14, on a night they honored three-time Super Bowl player Matt Light at Gillette Stadium.

“It's a really good locker room in there now and the players feel real good about they way they played and they should,” New England head coach Bill Belichick said. “The players did a heck of job out there all across the board. Houston is a very good football team but we just did a few things better than what they did tonight.”

With the win, the Patriots (10-3) moved to within a game of the Texans for the best record in the conference.

Tom Brady threw for four touchdown passes and finished the game 21-of -35 for 296 yards. Brandon Lloyd (seven receptions) and Aaron Hernandez (eight receptions) each recorded a pair of touchdowns in the win.

Donte' Stallworth also caught his first touchdown pass in a New England uniform since the 2007 season– a 63-yard bomb from Brady in the third quarter that enabled New England to create a 28-0 margin.

“Typical Brady tonight,” Stallworth said. “He is obviously not thinking about it now but he is playing very well. You see him playing that year in and year out. He has been one of the best players in this league for a long time.”

Brady now has 29 touchdowns on the season and has now thrown a least a touchdown pass in 45 consecutive games – third longest streak in NFL history.

“The offense line played great and we ran the ball well,” Brady said.”It was a good game. We played hard and we had a good week of practice.”

Defensively, the Patriots held Houston (11-2) to just 323 yards – under its season average and stopped the Texans from converting on third and fourth downs 10-of-14 times.

“We came into today with a chip on our shoulder,” New England linebacker Jerod Mayo said. “Everyone was talking about the Houston Texans all week. I think our defensive line went out there and played well today.”

The Texans did not record their first touchdown until 6:15 remaining in the third quarter. Houston running back Arian Foster scored his 16th touchdown of the year from one yard out to slice the Patriots lead to 28-7.

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The Patriots caught a big break when J.J. Watt knocked the ball loose from Danny Woodhead into the waiting arms of Lloyd in the end zone for six points to increase the lead to 35-7. Stevan Ridley (72 yards on 18 carries) capped New England scoring with a 14-yard touchdown run.

Houston added a late score in the fourth on a T.J.Yates one-yard run.

“We got our tails kicked,” Texans head coach Gary Kubiak said. “You know, you miss two or three plays offensively and we give up a big return, and all of a sudden you are down 21 to nothing. But that’s the type of football team you are playing… give them credit. They got after us all night long on all phases, too many penalties, all those things so, no excuses; they got after us pretty good.”

Quarterback Matt Schaub was under pressure all night and finished the game 19-of-32 for 232 yards and one interception.

The Patriots won the coin toss and elected to defer the opening kickoff.

The Texans punted on their opening drive and New England went to work.

Wes Welker, who extended his streak to 107 straight games with a catch, gave the Patriots great field position with a 31-yard punt return to almost midfield. Ridley and Brady quickly moved New England inside the red zone.

On second down from the seven, Brady hooked up with Hernandez on a slant pattern and Hernandez coasted into the end zone to give the Patriots a 7-0 lead after Stephen Gostkowski extra point.

Houston drove deep into New England territory but Schaub was intercepted by Devin McCourty in the end zone. Beginning at their own 18, Brady quickly down the field in six plays. The final play was a beautiful play action pass to Lloyd from 37-yards out to give the Patriots a 14-0 lead.

Vince Wilfork was credited with a 20-yard sack and forced fumble as Houston punted for the third time.

Again Brady led a long drive down the field and capped the scoring with a four-yard touchdown pass to Hernandez, his second of the game to give New England a commanding 21-0 lead.

The Texans fourth drive of the game was stopped on a 4th-and-five play by Kyle Arrington.

The Patriots again stopped a fourth down play by Houston just before the half.

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Brady finished the first half 13-of-19 165 yards with three touchdowns. New England's defense held the Texan offense to 177 yards.